14^th June 2010

Rev Dr Max Champion at St John's UCA Mt Waverley

Lessons -- Psalm 32; Galatians 2:15-23; Luke 7:36-50

Jesus said:'Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.' (Luke 7:47 RSV)
Paul said: 'We are not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ.' (Galatians 2:16 RSV)

It is often said that Paul spoiled Jesus' simple message of love with his complex theology of justification by faith. But Luke's story of Simon the Pharisee and a prostitute clearly shows the unity between Jesus' ministry and Paul's grasp of the 'Good News'. Unexpectedly, an unworthy woman is a recipient of grace and a decent man is exposed as an enemy of grace. A sinful woman is 'justified by grace through her faith' but a virtuous man is not 'justified by his religious and moral good works'.

As usual Jesus' presence causes a stir. Simon and his friends (v49) are shocked that a 'teacher' and 'prophet' of God's law should allow an immoral, disreputable woman to touch him in such a sensual and erotic way.  They are even more appalled that Jesus takes upon himself the authority of God to 'forgive sins'.

In contrast to them, she is so overjoyed to be in the presence of Jesus that she can't help expressing her gratitude with such lavish affection.  She doesn't say anything and there is no confession of sin. Yet in touching his feet she comes into contact with the forgiveness of God.  Oblivious to the host's silent disapproval, and without any desire to manipulate Jesus for her own advantage, this unnamed 'woman of the city who was a sinner' (v37) responds to him with humble, unselfconscious, extravagant love.

If the story had ended with her show of gratitude we probably would be pleased that this immoral but overly emotional woman had found acceptance and hope. But the fact that it takes place in the middle of a dinner party hosted by a respectable religious teacher adds a dimension of intrigue which draws us into the action.  When we hear of Simon's silent disapproval of the woman and Jesus we have to decide where we stand in relation to the 'splendour of grace' and the 'extravagance of faith'.

We are no longer spectators but participants in a drama of forgiveness!

The difference in how Jesus is welcomed shows us the stark contrast between 'dutiful religion' and 'joyful faith'.

* Simon treats Jesus as an important religious figure to be invited to share a meal ('table fellowship'), but his welcome is decidedly low key. He doesn't even greet Jesus with the traditional kiss or extend customary hospitality by providing water for his feet or oil for his head (v44f)

* The woman, however, greets him with an enthusiasm which crosses the boundary of decency, decorum and good taste.

Although this 'unnamed woman' doesn't speak throughout the entire drama, she, and not the 'well known' religious man, tells us about the magnitude of God's grace in Christ and the joy of faith in him!

Simon tells us much about the pitfalls of religion. He is a good, devout person who spends his whole life trying to fulfil 'God's law'. He knows the difference between right and wrong. He is wary of making a public display of his emotions and tries to maintain his sense of dignity even in extreme situations. Confronted by the prostitute's outlandish behaviour, he tries to keep his criticisms of Jesus and the woman to himself (v39).

His attempt to conceal his disgust at the extravagant actions of this immoral, emotional and spiritually 'unclean' prostitute is understandable.
She has abused her body! He knows that, because she has defied God's good purpose for sexual relations in marriage between a man and a woman, she has separated herself from the faith community.

But it leads him to completely misunderstand the Gospel. He is blind to the magnificence of grace. He does not see that it is God's desire embodied in Jesus for sinners (like this woman) to be reconciled to God! Consequently, like the older bother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), but unlike Jesus, he is 'grudging in forgiveness' -- incapable of sharing the prostitute's gratitude, which is inexpressible in words, for being forgiven by God. He is not interested in her being reconciled to God!

Jesus tells the Parable of the Two Debtors (vv 40-43) to show Simon the contrast between his small love of God and the woman's extravagant love. The irony shouldn't be lost on us. It is the irreligious woman -- not the religious man -- who knows the 'magnitude of grace' and the 'pleasure of faith'. She can't help but respond to mercy embodied in Jesus with unselfconscious and extravagant affection because she has been touched by grace!

Simon is right about the woman's behaviour but he is terribly wrong to be so grudging in forgiveness. He is so taken up with doing the 'works of the law' in order to be accounted as 'just' that he cannot freely and openly rejoice when she is accounted as just by grace through faith. Decency and self- righteousness prevent him seeing the splendour of grace in Jesus and the extravagance of genuine faith in her.

The whole incident unsettles many of us! It comes as a shock to hear that good, responsible, sensible, dependable and sober citizens may miss 'seeing' the gracious presence of God. We may be so quietly confident of our own good works and so critical of folk who have wasted their lives that we are blind to the overwhelming forgiveness of God embodied in Christ 'for all' -- decent and indecent alike. We miss the fact that we too are justified by grace through faith!

In view of a very different audience that hears this story today, it should to be noted that the woman is not praised for her radical, liberated attitude to sex. She is not portrayed as an advocate for the rights of sex workers. Sadly, tragically, she had abused her body in defiance of the splendid purpose for which she was created in the 'image of God'.

Yet, surprisingly and even more sadly and tragically, it is the good man who does the 'works of the law' -- not the sinful woman -- who turns his back on the good news of forgiveness and peace.

Where Simon justifies himself by works, the woman knows that she is justified and accepted solely by the grace of God! Where she is accepted as if she were righteous by virtue of God's forgiveness in Christ, he excludes himself by his own self-righteousness. He 'loves little' because he imagines that he has 'little for which to be forgiven' (v47).

The episode at Simon's place shows, however, the reality of God's mercy embodied in Christ may be more enthusiastically embraced by the immoral than by the custodians of righteousness.

This word needs to be heard today because we so easily pride ourselves on being good, upright and just pillars of society and forget that our life is founded on and grounded in the grace of God in Christ. We too are not justified by our many good works but by grace alone!

If we grasp this incredible fact, then our 'works' will be glad expressions of gratitude for undeserved love -- not the means by which to 'justify' ourselves before God and others. Then we shall rejoice in being recipients of grace as we also welcome others, like the prostitute, who also have rebelled against the 'law of love', but nevertheless have experienced the 'splendour of God's grace' in their lives.

Then like her, we too will know what it means to 'live by faith'. Not by any faith that appeals to us, but the confidence in God's justifying grace that saves us from self-righteousness and enables us to 'go in peace'. When we come into contact with the God who has touched the world in the body of Christ we experience a deep sense of well-being knowing that we are accepted, not because of our goodness, but by what Charles Wesley calls the 'unexampled love' and 'all-redeeming grace' of God. (AHB 145.)

-----------------

Rev Dr Max Champion is minister in the St John's Uniting Church, Mt Waverley, Victoria, Australia. Dr Champion is Chair of the Assembly of Confessing Congregations within the UCA.